Lubricating system



Jan. 3, 1950 c. c. s. LE CLAIR LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 22, `1944 S ranklifl Ze man? /NVENTOR ATTOIQNEY Camille. Clae Patented Jan 3, 1950 LUBRICATING SYSTEM camille Clare sprankling Le clair, Acton, London, England, assignor to Tecalemit Limited, Brentford, England, a corporation of Great Britain Application November 22, 1944, Serial No. 564,681 In Great Britain December 6, 1943 This invention relates to lubricant or like distribution or supply systems or apparatus in which grease or heavy viscous oil, hereinafter referred to as grease, is forced either continuously or intermittently through pipes from a supply source to a place or places of use.

One of the limitations to such systems or apparatus is the high pressure required to overcome the resistance to the ow of the grease which, when the pipes are long and of small bore, may become very high. A further limitation is caused by the resistance to fiow or grease from bulk containers. If, for instance, the grease does not ow by gravity to the suction side of the grease pump which supplies the pipes with grease, the pump cannot operate.

It is well known that the resistance to flow of grease is greatly reduced by raising its temperature, and attempts to overcome the diculty have been made by providing the pipes through which the grease is pumped and (or) the container in which it is held with steam or hot water jackets. These methods, however, are crude andV wasteful because, not only is it extremely diiicult to adjust the amount of heat supplied to the net amount required, but the provision of such heat from an external source is often inconvenient and involves the additional expense of installation and attention during operation. Further, the prolonged application of too much heat is detrimental to the grease.

The object of the present invention, therefore, is tofovercome the above mentioned diiculties and to provide a grease distribution or supply system or apparatus wherein the heat may be conveniently supplied in correctly controlled quantities to suit requirements and wherein the heat is automatically shut off at all times when not required.

According to this invention, therefore, a grease distributing or supply system or apparatus is characterised by the feature that the grease dis-` tributing pipe or pipes and (or) the grease container or containers are flash heated by heat applied in short intermittent impulses or flashes and sufficient to soften the surface layer of the grease in contact with the pipe or container internal surfaces but not to heat throughout the whole volume of grease contained in the pipe or container to any substantial degree.

Thus, the surface layers only of the grease are heated sumciently to cause the bulk of the grease to slide freely but the whole bulk is not heated throughout. If the small amount of heat re-V quired were supplied continuously it would re 6 Claims. (Cl. 184-104) sult in the whole bulk being gently heated and this does not serve the purpose aimed at. Ac-A cording to this invention, a comparatively large amount of heat is provided for a short period in order to effect a quick softening of the surface layer of the grease. The heat is then shut off for a period and, when the elect of heatinghas been largely or wholly lost, the cycle is repeated.

The most convenient way fof applying heat inA short impulses is by electricity which is applied in short intermittent impulses or flashes.

In the case of pipes, a pipe carrying the grease may be arranged to form part of the secondary circuit of a step down transformer, the primary circuit of which is connected to any convenient electrical supply source, such as ordinary mains, and is arranged to be switched on and off by the grease pump or by such other part ofv the apparatus as may be convenient. In this manner, an instantaneous electrical impulse will be sent through the pipe at every stroke of the pump or-at such timed interval as may be predetermined.

Alternatively, the pipe may be heated by means of a resistance coil or tape, laid along the pipe,

or wound spirally around it. In either'case the pipe may be heated at or about the moment when the grease is being constrained to move under the inuence of the pump. At all other times during the pump cycle and also during intervals between the operation of the system or apparatus, Y

the pipe will remain unheated, thus conserving electrical energy.

In the case of containers, it will generally be inconvenient to make the container itself form part of an electrical circuit and, therefore, we may use a continuous resistance tape or coil or separate heater elements suitably placed with respect to the container to ensure that the heat applied to the container walls will cause the mass of the grease contained in the container to slide downwards to the outlet or to the pump suction f as the case may be. The resistance tape or coil or the heater elements may be connected to the secondary circuit of the transformer.

Three constructional forms of the invention each applied to grease supply or distributing apparatus including a grease supply container, a grease supply pipe and a reciprocating pump for withdrawing grease from the container and forcing it into the pipe, are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one construction in which the heating of the grease is carried out by electrical means including a step-down transformer, the secondary circuit of which is connected to heater coils arranged around the container and the grease supply pipe;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a modied oonstruction'in which-fthe grease inftl'ie-rc'ontainer isheated byal number ofi heater boxesccn'nectedto the secondary circuit of the transformer and in which the grease supply pipe itself forms part: of the secondary circuit; and y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewof'the pump mechanism showing amodioation of? the'f contact operating portion thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1:

The grease'pu'mping unit shown in Fig. 1 comprises a base I upon which is 'mounteda-reciprof` eating pump 2 which is driven bye-af motorA 3 through a worm drive comprising a worm 4 fixed on the motor shaft 5 and engaging with a-'wor'm wheel 6. The latter carries a crank pin 1 which is connected by| a'V connecting' rod r 8" to the outerf' endofthe pump plunger 9i Through a suctionl connectionl (not shown 2in' thefdrawing) y the plunger "Bfdraws grease' from a hopper' I 0 :mounted upon th'ebase Linto the'pump cylinderv andv on its dis- 2 charge stroke forceslthe grease into' a grease sup'- ply. pipe I Il'.

A-resistance coil or tape I2l is wound spirally. ar'oundlthe'outside orinside'f of the h'opperf' II),

its" endsV being `respectively connected to the low.' 3U

tension winding' I3- ofy a step-down' transformerA I4;` Av resistance coilor tape I5'is also f wound around.' the grease dischargepipe I'I f and itsends connected'to the low tensionwinding 'ofthe-trans'- for'mer. The ends of thefhighvtension"winding I6^. of the'transformer 'are' respectively connectedy by leadslv I'I and I8 toarked contactIS'fand toone` side or thema'ins and the oppositevside'of the;` mains is: conn'ecteditol acontact'iwhich islm'ov;A ablewith the grease pump plunger, the-contactsA I9 and* 20- thus forming a make andibreak switch;V

Inl'the constructionshownin Fig. 15 the switchi is closed at or near the end of each suction-or" out-stroke of: thet plunger.l 9v when the'l movable contact 20.' engageswithlthe fixed' contact I9'.V When" this-occurs, current from the rn'ain'siowslA throughthe high tension'windingl ofithe transformer anda pulse of low'tension'current'Y flows fromuthe low tension windingal? throughthe' resistancefcoils Sor tapes I21and1I 52 respectivelyI surroundingv the hopperlfand-'thefpipe I I. y The heatA thus generated. in the coils or tapes I2 and |53' servesto warm the outer layer of the grease in. the' hopperIl'l and pipe II'.-

It willV be :obvious thatinstead of .arrangingsforf the'switch to be opened and closed'at'ornear the." end of .the suctionstroke. of the pump, .the same'V effect could? be obtained by.` closing -the switch` atL or near the end of'thedischarge stroke oratisom'e' otherrp'osition in'thep'ump cycle, in which latter.-V case the switch could-be operated by a cam olif the-crankshaft or by othermechanismnotdie rectly connected with the pumpplunger.-

Accordingly, in referringrto FigLSaICam 24'is.- provided on thecrank shaftA 25 to operatethefcontacts 19a. and' 29a toopen and closev the switch.

Further, a time switch 2S of a known kind mayy be used in conjunction with the contacts I9--20f of the switch disclosed in Fig. l and hereinbeforedescribed, or, withthe contacts I9a-'2Ua of the cam operated switch disclosed in Figi. 3,'.lierein-'- before described, the arrangement beingVv such-v that after the contacts lil- 20. or Ill'ol,-2'llctfhave; closedgthe time SWitchZGLWiII-lremainclosed until iti is .automaticaliyi openedlby: its:ownseiffconL1A tained timing device, after which it cannot be closed again until the contacts I9-2IJ or I9a20a have been opened and then re-closed. This arrangement has the advantage that the period of closed contact, i. e., of heating impulse, is constant irrespective of the pumpspeed;7 and, further, should'the apparatus be shut" down while the contacts III-20 or I9a-20a are closed, a current will not flow continuously through the heating coils.

In the event the time switch 26 is not used, the linel'vZI' isk placedf between the terminals 28-29. If" the time'jswitch 26 is used, the line 21 is omitted' and" the' terminals 28-29 will become the 15 terminals ofthe time switch. Accordingly, the

liriefZffrI- andftheltineswitch 26 are shown in dottedi lines, thereby showing two alternative constructions;.that is to say, one without the time switch and one with the-time switch.

Fig. 2fshows a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 1",.in which a number of"smallf electric heater boxes 2I ,areY arranged' on' the outside ofc the grease hopper IUA-, each of these boxes-being? connected to the low tension winding. ofthe trans- 5 former I4. In this illustration also an alternativemethod ofuheatingthe discharge pipe is shown, the heater coil or tape I5surrounding the grease discharge pipeII, Fig. l, is-omittedandleads 22VA- .l and 23 from the low tension winding ofnthe transformer are connected directly"v to the pipe`-IIA,.V which latter thus becomesa part of the-10W tensionrcircuit-andthusitself acts as a heater` element. A p n It-will be appreciatedv thatethe spiral heater-coilor tape I2 and the heater boxes2lmay bearrangedinsidethevgrease supply hopper andjthat spiral coils ortapes or heater boxes may also bearranged both inside and outside the hopper.

4W Heater boxes may also be used in association'withY heater coils or tapes.v Further, the continuousheatercoilsor tapesv surrounding the hopper andthe grease supply pipe may be replaced-by separate but electricallyv connected coilsor tapes 1 arranged lengthwise or otherwise on the: hopper 70; greases as well.

or pipe.-

Use-:may be made: ofv containers andvpi'pesi-of' laminated constructions'composedof materials- (e.-g., metals) of differentelectricalconduetivity...

Nuthe laminav in contact with the` grease havinge higher conductivity than ther remainderofA the` -container orpipe thickness. Thus, the f greater partei-the current passes throughlthesaidlaminar and` heats4 it-l to ai higherv degree thanf the`- ree- 55 mainder, the-heating effeotibeing. therebyl conned l covered'vWithSa-covering ot electrical andheat in sulating-materials-` and tlie'sef:Iriay forin twofsepa'ie forsupplying-for di'stributin'giubricante5 buttra'tf-ir distribution -o'ff other" isll applicable te'the supply oi" 1. A" lubricating system adaptedtorthe use-of` grease-having a' 4consistency iioiirriall-yA too heavyto 'iiow freely andcomprisilng, in'combinati-on;

i'igreasev` crlrhtainervr for holdingv a supply" off saldiV Thev heatedY pipes: andVV (or) containers may' be2` grease, a pipe through which grease from the container is dispensed, a mechanism including a pump for forcing grease from the container and through the pipe, heating elements for applying heat to the inner surface of the container to radiate heat inwardly from the surface of the container, and means intermittently and periodically operated and timed by said mechanism for periodically heating said heating elements during the operation of said mechanism, the heating periods of the heating elements being so related to the rate of forcing grease from said container by the mechanism that only portions of the grease adjacent the surface of the container are sequentially heated.

2. A lubricating system adapted to the use of grease having a consistency normally too heavy to flow freely and comprising, in combination, a grease container for holding a supply of said grease, a pipe through which grease from said container is dispensed, a mechanism including a pump for forcing grease from the container and through the pipe, a heating element for applying heat to the inner surface of the container and radiating heat inwardly from the suriace of the pipe, and means intermittently and periodically operated by said mechanism for energizing said heating element in a series of periodic pulses while the said mechanism is operating, the timing of the heat pulses of the heating element being related to the rate of forcing grease from the container by the operation of said mechanism so as sequentially to heat only portions of the grease adjacent the surface of the pipe.

3. A lubricating system adapted to the use of grease having a normal consistency which is too heavy readily to iiow and comprising, in combination, a grease container, a pipe through which grease from the container is dispensed, a mechanism including a pump for forcing grease from the container through the pipe, an electrical heating element distributed over the surface of said container for applying heat to the inner surface of the container, contacts operated by said mechanism during operation of the pump for effecting a series of periodic current pulses through the heating element, the rate of said pulses being determined by the speed of operation of said mechanism, and the intensity, rate and duration of said pulses being predetermined to soften only the portion of the grease near the surface of the container.

4. In a lubricating system adapted to the use of relatively heavy grease, the combination comprising a grease carrying part, a pump for moving grease in said part, heating elements distributed over the surface of said part for applying heat to the inner surface of the part to radiate heat inwardly of the part to the grease, means for intermittently energizing the heating elements for successive short periods during the operation of the pump to heat and soften only the grease adjacent the interior of the part, and a self-operating time switch for limiting the interval of operation of said heating elements at any one time.

5. In a lubricating system adapted to the use of relatively heavy grease, the combination comprising a grease carrying part, a pump for moving grease in said part, heating elements comprising a plurality of separated heater units secured in distributed relationship to the outer surface of said part for applying heat to the inner surface of the part to radiate heat inwardly of the part to the grease, and means for intermittently energizing the heating elements for successive short periods during the operation of the pump to heat and soften only the grease adjacent the interior of the part.

6. In a lubricating system adapted to the use of relatively heavy grease, the combination comprising a grease carrying part, a pump for moving grease in said part, heating elements distributed over the surface of said part for applying heat to the inner surface of the part to radiate heat inwardly of the part to the grease, and means comprising a cam actuated contact driven by said pump for intermittently energizing the heating elements for successive short periods during the operation of the pump to heat and soften only the grease adjacent the interior of the part.

CAMILLE CLARE SPRANKLING LE CLAIR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,129,187 Fleming Feb. 23, 1915 1,783,611 Gohring Dec. 2, 1930 1,929,231 Yirava Oct. 3, 1933 1,933,403 Wilson Oct. 31, 1933 1,977,831 Marshall Oct. 23, 1934 1,982,325 Shepherd Nov. 27, 1934 21288348 Long June 30, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,492 Great Britain 1892 

